question on distributor
March 7th, 2014, 05:47 PM
#7
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,301
What's the build date of your car? I thought the 69 H/Os were built in April-May. The date codes on the parts can only be before the build date of the car. Of couse, with the wrong distributor anyway, the date is meaningless.
April 8th, 2022, 09:02 AM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: M.a.
Posts: 183
April 9th, 2022, 08:55 AM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,912
Just to clarify a couple of points in this old azz thread since it was brought back up:
1111973 was the original distributor number for 69 H/O and W-32. The 1111989 was listed as the over the counter replacement for both. Interestingly, they used Chevy hi-performance 327 and 396 big block heavier weights on the 973 distributor. The 70 Buick 455 used these weights as well. The 973 used the uber-rare 1973427 vacuum pod, too.
FUN FACT: The 973 distributor used the same part number distributor weight springs as early Turbo Corvair. 1882995.
The most notable difference is that the 989 distributor did not come with the heavier weights, however. I used to have both distributor numbers, but sold the 989 to Kurt Karch many moons ago.
There were a few early "magazine/test" cars built early on. They were for the glamour shots, and bozos from the media to gawk over and report on, etc.
There were slight differences in those and the actual production models, and I've noticed a couple of times Demmer using slightly different production techniques during the run, most likely to speed things up. For one, my headrests have a white undercoat that was painted over gold. This was soon dropped. Also, the surround of the headlight bezels and grille were taped off prior to the flat black paint. Again, probably too tedious and later they just painted it all flat black. Pre-production models had the white undercoat on the headrests and I believe this was extended out slightly to give it the "white pinstripe" look on the outside of the headrests that never made it into production. I believe they taped them, painted the white, then shot the gold right over it. There are also pre-production model pictures in the rags showing the silver surround on the grilles/headlights.
Production in earnest started near the end of March 69. My car is Demmer #43, with build week 03D. It was converted at Demmer on Tuesday, 4/1/69. My suspicion is that they probably started full bore on 3/31 on that Monday, but I do not know for sure.
AFAIK, builds went into the last week of May, and perhaps a few were built in June, not sure on that. I've seen an 05D car, but not an 06A car. Can't say there weren't any H/O's built in June. I just haven't seen one. But most of them, if not all, were done by the end of May. The program was supposed to last 2 months worth of buildouts, but you know how that can go. So you figure about 9 weeks, roughly an average of 100 cars per week give or take. The majority of production took place during these time frames, but conversions were only as fast as Demmer could turn them around. 900 or so cars weren't going to take long to make considering the total volume capacity of the plant. Thus, the stragglers that were converted may very well be into June by the time they were readied and shipped to the dealer.
1111973 was the original distributor number for 69 H/O and W-32. The 1111989 was listed as the over the counter replacement for both. Interestingly, they used Chevy hi-performance 327 and 396 big block heavier weights on the 973 distributor. The 70 Buick 455 used these weights as well. The 973 used the uber-rare 1973427 vacuum pod, too.
FUN FACT: The 973 distributor used the same part number distributor weight springs as early Turbo Corvair. 1882995.
The most notable difference is that the 989 distributor did not come with the heavier weights, however. I used to have both distributor numbers, but sold the 989 to Kurt Karch many moons ago.
There were a few early "magazine/test" cars built early on. They were for the glamour shots, and bozos from the media to gawk over and report on, etc.
There were slight differences in those and the actual production models, and I've noticed a couple of times Demmer using slightly different production techniques during the run, most likely to speed things up. For one, my headrests have a white undercoat that was painted over gold. This was soon dropped. Also, the surround of the headlight bezels and grille were taped off prior to the flat black paint. Again, probably too tedious and later they just painted it all flat black. Pre-production models had the white undercoat on the headrests and I believe this was extended out slightly to give it the "white pinstripe" look on the outside of the headrests that never made it into production. I believe they taped them, painted the white, then shot the gold right over it. There are also pre-production model pictures in the rags showing the silver surround on the grilles/headlights.
Production in earnest started near the end of March 69. My car is Demmer #43, with build week 03D. It was converted at Demmer on Tuesday, 4/1/69. My suspicion is that they probably started full bore on 3/31 on that Monday, but I do not know for sure.
AFAIK, builds went into the last week of May, and perhaps a few were built in June, not sure on that. I've seen an 05D car, but not an 06A car. Can't say there weren't any H/O's built in June. I just haven't seen one. But most of them, if not all, were done by the end of May. The program was supposed to last 2 months worth of buildouts, but you know how that can go. So you figure about 9 weeks, roughly an average of 100 cars per week give or take. The majority of production took place during these time frames, but conversions were only as fast as Demmer could turn them around. 900 or so cars weren't going to take long to make considering the total volume capacity of the plant. Thus, the stragglers that were converted may very well be into June by the time they were readied and shipped to the dealer.
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